TWO PEOPLE HAVE died and more than 80 people have been injured when at least 140 vehicles collided in South-east Texas in a pileup that left trucks twisted on top of each other and authorities rushing to pull survivors from the wreckage.

The collision occurred in extremely foggy conditions at about 8.45 a.m on Thanksgiving Day on Interstate 10 south west of Beaumont, about 80 miles east of Houston.

A man and a woman were killed in an SUV when they were crushed by a tractor trailer, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

(AP Photo/The Beaumont Enterprise, Guiseppe Barranco)

DPS trooper Stephanie Davis yesterday identified the dead as Debra Leggio, 60, and Vincent Leggio, 64.

Jefferson County sheriff’s Deputy Rod Carroll said that 80 to 90 people were transported to hospitals with 10 to 12 of those in serious to critical conditions. He said 140 to 150 vehicles were involved in the pileup.

(AP Photo/The Beaumont Enterprise, Guiseppe Barranco)

According to DPS, a crash on the eastbound side of the highway led to other accidents in a dangerous chain reaction. There were multiple crashes on the other side of the highway as well.

Carroll said the fog was so thick that deputies didn’t immediately realize they were dealing with multiple accidents.

(AP Photo/The Beaumont Enterprise, Guiseppe Barranco)

“It is catastrophic,” Carroll said. “I’ve got cars on top of cars.”

Carroll said uninjured drivers tried to help as authorities sorted through the wreckage.

“It’s just people helping people,” Carroll said. “The foremost thing in this holiday season is how other travellers were helping us when we were overwhelmed, sitting and holding, putting pressure on people that were injured.”

- AP

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